Animal-trap.



N. J. BARRON.

ANIMAL TRAP. APPLICATION FILED nu; 21,1909.

909,981 9 Patented Jan. 19, 1999.

.wood. or other suitable material.

OFFICE.

NATHAN .l. BARRON, 01* LlNlllfiN, TEXAS.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Application tlled May 21, 1908. Serial No. 434,187.

To all whom it may concern;

lie it known that l. Nxrn \N .l. BARRON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Linden, in the county of (lass and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Animal-Trap, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to animal traps and has especial reference to traps tor catching rats, mice and birds.

The Object of the iuwj-nlion is to provide an improved animal trap by means of which a number of animals or birds truly be caught. without re etting the trap, the trap being automatically l".t 0l, as soon as the animal or bird is caught.

The invention consists of an improved animal trap, constructed, and arranged as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Referring: to the drawing, Figure l is a. side View, in vertical section of an animal trap constructed in amordanre with this invention. Fig. Q is av detail view in perspective of a portion ct the trap. Fig. 3 is adetail View of a. portion of the top of the trap and a shield at the entrance opening showiup a modification of the shield. Fig. t is a plan view of a portion of the top of the trap showing he wire funnel omitted.

The trap l may lie in the form of a dome as shown or other suitable shape, made of \nwen ire 2, with a mesh small enough to insure the retention of small animals such as mice, and provided with a bottom 3 of The trap may be of an Y size desired, and is formed at its top with a passageway 4, preferably of a funnel shape, and depending; from the top, and of a width suliieicnt to permit the passage into the trap of rats, and mice, and small birds, such as English sparrows.

Extending across the bottom of the funnel shaped assagcway 4 is a tilting door or flap 5, consisting of a plate of tin, or other suitable material, hinged at: its rear end in any suitable manner to the trap and as here shown, by means of an arm 6, consisting of a wire secured at its forward end to the under side of the flap 5, and cxtendin' rearwardly and bent about a wire 7, to orm a bin e 8 therewith, the wire 7 being secured at its ends to the sides of the trap. The rear end of the arm 6 is provided with a Wei ht 9 by means of which the door 5 is hel up against the lower end of passageway 4. The trap 1 is provided with a suitable door It) in its aid to permit of the removal oi the animals or other things caught in the trap. The flap .3 may be provided with a loop 11 or other suitable device to secure bail on the fill).

It will readily be seen that an animal or other living thing descending through the tunnel shaped passageway 4 to get the bait will by its weight tilt the flap 5 downwards, and be precipitated into the trap, and the flap will be automatically thrown back to its nornmlly closed positlon by the weight 9. In order to provide a smooth surface for the inner wall of the funnel shaped passage way 4, by means of which the animal or other living thing descending through said passageway may readily slip through the same, and not catch the wire mesh of the receptacle with its feet, when the trap door 5 gives 'ay, a funnel 152, of tin or other suit able material with a tapering flange 13, is provided which tits into and extends down to the bottom of the funnel sha ed passagewayl, and has its flange 1?,over lap ing and fitting over the top of the trap at out the upper end of the passageway 4. A rat descending through the funnel 12 is prevented thereby from catching the wires of the receptacle. if desired the funnel 12 may be fastened to the trap in any suitable manner,

but is preferably detachable.

By means of this trap, English sparrows, and other small birds, besides rats, and mice and other animals may be readily and quickly caught. the door 5 being instantly automatically closed when the animal or bird drops into the trap.

As the traps are most. frequently placed in cellars, damp closets, or other exposed l0- eations, the tin funnels soon become rou h. through accumulations of rust, and won (1 afford footholds for the rats or mice. By making the sheet metal funnel detachable 1t may he removed from the trap without impairing the eliieiency of the latter, as the wire fabric funnel will act to rcvent; displacement of the tra door, and tie trap may be used tempo -ari. y without the sheet metal tunnel or a new sheet metal funnel mav be readily placed in position.

Tn lieu of the funnel 12 with flange 13 a circumferential strip 14 of tin or other suitable smooth material may be used. The strip it extends about the mouth of the wire funnel 4, and over the wires adjacent thereto .a sufficient distance to prevent an animal inasmuch passing through the funnel from grasping the wires of the trap with its hind l'eet. The strip 14 may be secured in place by any suit.- able means, as for example, by a llanee l5 bent over the edge of the mouth ol' Tunnel 4. If desired the wire tunnel may be dispensed with and the wire trap 1 formed with an entrance 0 )ening 1G in its top in which is suspended the tunnel 12 with its llnnge l3 extending over the top of the trap similarly l to the position in Fig. 1.

What is claimed is In an animal trap, a receptacle formed oil? wire fabric and provided at its top with an entrance funnel of wire fabric. a pivot rod carried by the body at one side ot. the lower end of the funnel, a eountenweighted trap inouth arranged within the funnel and r0- vided at its top with an outward exten ing lane-e that is vowed to conform'to the shape of the reeeptarle surrounding the fabric fun m l. the mouth hein freely insertible and removable into and troin the fabric funnel.

In testimony that I-elaim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

NAITHAN J. BARRON.

\Vitneeses h. l). lillumc'r, l. I). lemme. 

